UK Theatre season takes devilish turn with 'The School for Scandal'
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 1, 2022) — Up next on the Guignol stage is the University of Kentucky Department of Theatre and Dance’s production of Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s timeless comedy “The School for Scandal.” Performances begin today (Thursday), Dec. 1, and run through Sunday, Dec. 4.
Sheridan’s comedic, satirical play, “The School for Scandal,” is a light-hearted attack on pretension and hypocrisy. It was originally staged in 1777 in London’s Drury Lane Theatre. In this play, gossip and scandal, fueled by sexual intrigue, dominate the high society and aristocracy of England. Often considered the highlight of the “comedy of manners” plays, Sheridan’s plot delivers a caustic rebuke of the lack of honor, lax morality and conceits of the idle rich, who spend their time in constant turmoil striving for superior position and advantage amongst themselves and destroying all that surrounds them.
“I am thrilled to be presenting ‘The School for Scandal.' It is a masterpiece of the Restoration, a scurrilous rebuke of triviality. It satirizes a society obsessed with appearance, celebrity, and gossip where complexity can be dismissed with a witticism and a life ruined with the cutting lash of a tongue,” said Stephen Wrentmore, season producer.
UK’s production of “The School for Scandal” features Joslyn Baumgardner, Keisha Reid, Rebekah New, Joey Clark, Maddie Bavely, Sydney Willis, Michael Daniels, Jacob Bingham, Wheeler Green, Brandon Bost, Bella Wolfe, Ayana Roit, Lynn Bright, Sabrina Jackson, Drew Epperson and Addison Adams. The production is directed by Christina Ritter with Makenzie Shimko as stage manager, choreography by Susie Theil, scenic design by Zachary Stribling, costume design by Tracy Barber, and lighting and sound design by Heather Brown.
“The School for Scandal” performances begin 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Dec. 1-3, and 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 3-4. General admission is $10 for students and $15 for adults (plus $2 ticketing fee). There is on-stage seating — seating is general admission. NO LATE SEATING WILL BE PERMITTED. Tickets are available through the Singletary Center for the Arts Box Office at scfatickets.com or by calling 859-257-4929.
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